This will give you chills

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SUNDAY EVENING HYMNS,

THE CHURCH'S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP,
WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND,
BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING,

HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER
WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.
IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION

THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD

FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS
TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD

BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE .

WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND

BEGAN TO SPEAK. 'A FATHER, HIS SON, AND FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE
SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST ' HE BEGAN. 'WHEN A FAST APPROACHING

STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE....

THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN

EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND

THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.'

THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH

TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE

BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.

THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY, 'GRABBING A RESCUE LINE,

THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE:

TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.
HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION. HE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS

SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE , ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON'S FRIEND WAS NOT.
THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES.

AS THE FATHER Y ELLE OUT, 'I LOVE YOU, SON!' HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO

HIS SON'S FRIEND. BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO

THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS
INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.

BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW,

ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER'S MOUTH.

'THE FATHER,' HE CONTINUED, 'KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS

AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON'S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY

WITHOUT JE SUES.. THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON'S FRIEND. ' !

HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US..
OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE
SAVED....I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE
LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.'

WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE
FILLED THE ROOM.

THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON

WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL.

WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD

MAN'S SIDE.

'THAT WAS A NICE STORY,' POLITELY STATED ONE OF HEM, 'BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS VERY

REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON'S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY

WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.'

'WELL, YOU'VE GOT A POINT THERE,' THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE.

A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID,

'IT SURE ISN'T VERY REALISTIC,

IS IT? BUT, I'M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF

WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME. YOU SEE...

I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON'S FRIEND.'



Share if you feel so inclinded.

1) Say this small prayer for the person who sent you this,
Father, God bless this person in whatever it is you know

he or she may be needing this day! Amen

2) Then send it on.
Within hours, you will have been prayed for, and you caused

multitudes of people to pray to God for other people.

Then sit back and watch the power of God work in your life
for doing the thing that you know he loves.

Thanks Bernie